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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23514946">You Were Always Meant To Be (my only lifelong enemy)</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainLeBubbles/pseuds/CaptainLeBubbles'>CaptainLeBubbles</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Hallmarks of a Family (Hallmarks AU) [18]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>RWBY</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(oh my god they were classmates), Gen, University, and they were classmates</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-06</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-01 13:28:10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>790</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23514946</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/CaptainLeBubbles/pseuds/CaptainLeBubbles</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>James didn't think getting his degree at the same school Roman Torchwick was also getting his degree at would be problem- their degrees don't have any overlap, so they shouldn't have any reason to run into each other.</p><p>He failed to take into account that electives are a thing.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>James Ironwood &amp; Roman Torchwick, mentions of ironqrow</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Hallmarks of a Family (Hallmarks AU) [18]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1200967</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>You Were Always Meant To Be (my only lifelong enemy)</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Shoutout to Tumblr user @drunkscythemaster who very patiently helped me figure out which classes it would be logical for these two to take considering their specific degree tracks (as well as giving me a good subplot for James in the process, but more on that later). I also picked Geology because it's the class I can remember most clearly from my own college days, which means that I can bullshit any classroom content that comes up. (Unfortunately, I sacrificed the chance to base the professor on my own, but the sacrifice was worth it, I think.)</p><p>By the way, this one takes place between the first and second half of <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23288923">this</a> short, hence the reference to the bento box.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>-/-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>James’ first class of his first semester at Beacon University was Intro Geology, an elective he’d chosen a little bit on the grounds that five year olds would be easy to impress with rock facts and mostly on the grounds that it was a subject he’d never paid much attention to. He was a forward looking man on many levels, and while he understood the importance of history and hindsight and looking backwards as well, these were things that had never interested him personally.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Still, he was looking forward to the class, right up until the moment an annoyingly familiar voice behind his shoulder said, “Is that a bento box?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My kids are nerds,” he said fondly, and then stiffened and glowered as the familiarity cut through his fondness. The figure behind him was sashaying around to take the desk in front of his, dropping his bag beside him and grinning with more teeth than joy.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I think it’s cute.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing here?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Same thing as you, I imagine.” He leaned forward and said, very seriously. “I’m in this class, is what I mean. I assume you are too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>James rolled his eyes. “I wonder if it’s too late to drop the class and pick a different elective.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He made to turn away, and Torchwick said, a little hastily, “Look, okay, hold on. White flag, or whatever.” When James turned back he offered another smile, this one a little more hopeful, a little more genuine. “Look, this might be a prime opportunity for us. I mean, I’m one of Qrow’s best friends and you’ve stuck around far longer than I expected. Maybe we should take this chance to… I don’t know, bury the hatchet. Find some common ground or at least learn to get along. For Qrow’s sake.” His smile took on a hopeful tone. “Truce?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>James sighed, and pinched the bridge of his nose, biting down an annoyed grumble. “You know what? You’re right, I </span>
  <em>
    <span>don’t</span>
  </em>
  <span> like you. But I love Qrow, and just the other day he made me promise to try to find some way of getting along with you. So… yeah, all right, fine. Truce.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He put his hand out, Torchwick grinned and took it. “So you got the same lecture, huh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah. Then you weren’t just being the bigger person here, and just beat me to it. Good to know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turned back to his desk, taking his time carefully laying out his pens, notebook, textbook, and syllabus, the last of which Torchwick promptly picked up.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You actually printed this out?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It was on the class email. Of course I did.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know he’s going to just bring more, right? You could have saved some trouble. And a tree.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>James snatched his syllabus back and set it on top of his notebook. “I like to be prepared.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Clearly.” Torchwick looked over his carefully arranged desk. “Were you this much of a nerd your first time through? Or is this just your way of combating early onset dementia?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So that truce we literally just agreed to.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Torchwick hmphed, and held up both hands in surrender. Behind them, other students were beginning to trickle in; Torchwick watched them for a few minutes, then turned back to James.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Have you met the teacher for this class yet?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, actually. We spoke very briefly when I was up here yesterday to map out where my classrooms are. He seemed nice.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You mapped out your classrooms ahead of time?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I like. To be. Prepared.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, you said.” He drummed his fingers on James’ desk thoughtfully. “So, as to the professor. I know you hate agreeing with me on principal, and you’re all committed and shit, and way too stuffy to have these sorts of thoughts, but assuming all of that wasn’t true-” He grinned. “Would you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>James glared at him, then sighed and said, “Assuming I wasn’t attached, and laying aside the ethical considerations of him being my teacher... I’d be on that like a white boy on a polo shirt sale in summer.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Torchwick stared.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did you just make a joke?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You make </span>
  <em>
    <span>jokes?”</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course I make jokes.” James rolled his eyes. “You think Qrow would have stayed with me this long if I couldn’t make him laugh?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Torchwick shrugged. “I’ve been working under the assumption that it was because of your vibrating metal dick.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>James’ head shot up so quick his neck popped audibly. “Who told you about that?” he hissed.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Torchwick’s face split into a grin akin to a feline having just captured a particularly chirpy mouthful. “You did,” he said. “Just now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>James stared, and then steepled his hands over his face and sighed. “It’s going to be a </span>
  <em>
    <span>long</span>
  </em>
  <span> semester.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>-/-</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>I cannot WAIT to inflict these two on each other. I am VERY excited. Forget all of my other ideas, this is going to be my favorite volume three plot.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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